Shirt collar construction



Sept. 24, 1963 E. B. GANT SHIRT COLLAR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 6, 1962 INVENTOR. 614/0713- GANT BY may... 6. M

ATTORNEY icut Filed Mar. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 177,779 3 Claims. (Cl. 2-132) The present invention relates generally to improvements in wearing apparel, and it relates particularly to an improved shirt collar construction.

In order to prevent the displacement or curling of the wings of a shirt collar during wear thereof, it is a common practice to provide the shirt with means for separably securing the collar wing tips to the front panels of the shirt, as typified by the button down collars, or to provide the confronting edges of the collar wings with tab elements and means for separably connecting these. It is with this latter type of collar construction that the present invention is primarily concerned. The collars of the tab type which have been heretofore available possess many drawbacks and disadvantages. The tab elements have been associated with the collar wings so as to detract from the appearance and neatness of the collar so as to permit not only the curling of the edges of the collar wings by the knot of the tie engaged by the collar but also in fact to promote such curling. Furthermore, the tabs have been anchored or attached to the collar wing in such manner as to efiect the distortion of and damage to the collar, and frequently to be torn from the collar. It has become apparent that tab collars of conventional construction leave much to be desired.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved article of wearing apparel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shirt having an improved collar construction.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved tab type collar of attractive appearance, of rugged construction and durability.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved tab type collar which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture by the conventional mass production methods.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a tab collar construction of the above nature characterized by its comfort and ease and convenience of use.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective fragmentary view of the collar portion of a shirt embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a detailed front plan view of the loop tab of the improved collar.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a tab collar construction including a neck band section and a turned down collar section joined along a longitudinal line, said collar section having a bottom longitudinal edge and laterally spaced front side edges, said side edges and bottom edge converging to delineate the wings of said collar, said collar comprising super-imposed front and rear plies having inwardly turned confronting hem borders along said side and bottom edges, first and second tab elements having inner ends sandwiched between said confronting hem borders along said side edges, first fastening means securing inner ends sandwiched between said confronting hem by said front ply, and stitching extending adjacent to and Patent 3,104,397 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 parallel to said collar bottom and side edges and securing said hemmed'borders and joining the inner ends of said tabs thereto, said tab elements having separably engageable fastening means adjacent their free outer ends.

According to a preferred form of the present invention, one tab member is of rectangular configuration and carriers a button at its free end. The other tab member is defined by a loop formed of an elongated band folded to form a pair of parallel longitudinal legs superimposed at their outer ends by an integrally formed triangular section joined along its peripheral edges to the longitudinal legs. The tab member first fastening means are defined by lines of stitching fastening the tab members to the rear ply hem border. The collar, in addition to the front and rear plies includes a sandwiched liner ply.

Referring now to the drawing forming a part hereof and illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved collar which is attached in the conventional manner to the shirt body member 11. Collar 10 includes a neck band section 12 sewn along it bottom edge to the shirt body member :11 as by stitching 11a, and a turned down collar. section 13 of any desired configuration and sewn along its upper edge to the corresponding upper edge of the neck band 12 by a line of stitching 14. Collar section 13 may, as desired, be integral with neck band section 12. Collar section 13 has a lower peripheral edge 16 and confronting front side edges 17 which are laterally spaced at the front of the shirt, when the collar 10 is in closed position, as illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, to define a space for the knot of a necktie. The collar is releasably retained in its closed position by the usual button and button hole arrangement associated with the neck band 12, as indicated at 13a.

Turneddown collar section 13 comprises superimposed coinciding front and rear plies 18 and 19 respectively, and with a line ply 20 sandwiched between plies 18 and 19 and of substantially the same configuration thereas. Front ply 18 and, if desired, rear ply 19, are formed of shirting material whereas the intermediate ply 20' is formed of the usual collar lining material such as buckram or the like. The peripheral bottom and side borders of front and liner plies 18 and 20 are folded under to provide inwardly directed hem borders 21 and 22 respectively, hem border 22 and the underlying section of the liner ply 20 being sandwiched between the hem border 21 and confronting overlying border of the front ply 18. The peripheral front and side borders of rear ply 19 are likewise folded under to provide an inwardly directed hem border 23 coextensive with hem border 21.

A first tab member 24 is defined by an edge finished elongated woven band folded upon itself along an intermediate transverse axis. Tab member 24 is of rectangular configuration and the inner free ends of the folded band forming the tab extend between and shortly beyond the confronting faces of hem borders 21 and 23 along one of the collar side edges 17, and are secured to the hem border 23 by stitching 26 joining only hem border 23 and tab member 24- and extending along a line parallel to and immediately adjacent the edge 17. Tab 24 is thus anchored to the collar 13 by interiorly disposed fastening means along edge 17 thereof which are thus not visible during wear of the shirt. A button 27 is attached by stitching 28 to the free end of tab member 24.

A loop-defining second tab member 29 is secured to the opposite collar wing and is formed of a unitary narrow elongated edge finished woven fabric band 30. Band 36 is folded along symmetrical converging lines forming angles of 45 to the longitudinal axis and to each other to form a loop, including longitudinally extending side-by-side parallel legs 32 joined at their outer end by an overlying integrally formed triangular crosspiece 33 having an outwardly directed apex and being sewn along its base to the legs 32. The inner ends of legs 32 extend between and shortly beyond. the confronting faces of hem borders 21 and 23 along a corresponding collar side edge 17 and are secured to hem'border 23 by stitching 34 joining only hem border 23 and legs 32, stitching 34, as 26, being interiorly disposed and normally not visible.

The assembly of the collar section and tab members is completed by transversely spaced outer and inner lines of stitches 36 and 37 respectively, extending along and parallel to the collar peripheral bottom and side edges 16 and 17. The line of stitches 36 is interiorly disposed and passes through and joins the hem borders 21, 22 and 23 as well as through the tab members 24 and 29, and is spaced as closely adjacent the collar peripheral edge as is possible and may coincide with stitches 26 and 34. The line of stitches 37 is exteriorly disposed and passes through and joins, in addition to hem borders 21, 22 and 23 and tabs 24 and 29, the corresponding coinciding borders of plies 18, 19 and 29.

That the inner ends of the tabs 24, 29 are secured so closely adjacent the side edges 17 ensures that the collar wings will be kept from curling outwardly when a tie is knotted in the space therebetween.

The fabrication of the collar 13, according to the present invention, is simple, as can be seen from the above description thereof. The tab members are first properly located and sewn to the outer face of the blank of rear ply 19 by interior lines of stitching 26, 34. Thereafter, the blank ply 19 and superimposed plies 13 and 20 are arranged back to back, ply 20 being sandwiched between plies 18 and 19;, and these are sewn together by the line of interior stitches 36. Thereafter, the plies are inverted and the assembly finished "by lines of stitching 37 which are visible.

While there has been illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparcut that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

1 claim:

1. A tab collar construction including a neck band section and a turned down collar section joined along a longitudinal line, said collar section having a bottom longitudinal edge and laterally spaced front side edges, said front side edges and bottom edge converging to delineate the wings of said collar, said collar comprising superimposed front and rear plies having inwardly turned confronting hem borders along said side and bot tom edges, a tab member having an inner end thereof sandwiched between said confronting hem borders along one of said front side edges and sewn by a first line of stitching to one of said hem borders, a button mounted on the other end of said tab member, a loop member having an inner end thereof sandwiched between said confronting hem borders along said other front side edge and sewn by a first line of stitching to one of said hem borders, a second line of stitching extending closely adjacent and parallel to said collar bottom and side edges and passing through and securing said hem borders and joining the said inner ends of said tab member and said loop member thereto, and a third line of stitching, spaced from the first and second lines, passing through and securing the superimposed front and rear plies and the inner ends of said tab and loop members, said first and second lines of stitching being disposed interiorly of the outer faces of the collar plies, the third lines of stitching being visible from the outer face of the front ply.

2. The collar construction of claim 1 wherein said loop member is formed of a unitary band and includes substantially coextensive longitudinal parallel legs joined at their outer end by an integrally formed superimposed triangularsection secured along the peripheral edges thereof References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,756,432 Beregow et al. July 31, 1956 2,905,945 Winter Sept, 29, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 451,366 Great Britain Mar. 12, 1936 79,195 Sweden June 26, 1931 

1. A TAB COLLAR CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING A NECK BAND SECTION AND A TURNED DOWN COLLAR SECTION JOINED ALONG A LONGITUDINAL LINE, SAID COLLAR SECTION HAVING A BOTTOM LONGITUDINAL EDGE AND LATERALLY SPACED FRONT SIDE EDGES, SAID FRONT SIDE EDGES AND BOTTOM EDGE CONVERGING TO DELINEATE THE WINGS OF SAID COLLAR, SAID COLLAR COMPRISING SUPERIMPOSED FRONT AND REAR PLIES HAVING INWARDLY TURNED CONFRONTING HEM BORDERS ALONG SAID SIDE AND BOTTOM EDGES, A TAB MEMBER HAVING AN INNER END THEREOF SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID CONFRONTING HEM BORDERS ALONG ONE OF SAID FRONT SIDE EDGES AND SEWN BY A FIRST LINE OF STITCHING TO ONE OF SAID HEM BORDERS, A BUTTON MOUNTED ON THE OTHER END OF SAID TAB MEMBER, A LOOP MEMBER HAVING AN INNER END THEREOF SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID CONFRONTING HEM BORDERS ALONG SAID OTHER FRONT SIDE EDGE AND SEWN BY A FIRST LINE OF STITCHING TO ONE OF SAID HEM BORDERS, A SECOND LINE OF STITCHING EXTENDING CLOSELY ADJACENT AND PARALLEL TO SAID COLLAR BOTTOM AND SIDE EDGES AND PASSING THROUGH AND SECURING SAID HEM BORDERS AND JOINING THE SAID INNER ENDS OF SAID TAB MEMBER AND SAID LOOP MEMBER THERETO, AND A THIRD LINE OF STITCHING, SPACED FROM THE FIRST AND SECOND LINES, PASSING THROUGH AND SECURING THE SUPERIMPOSED FRONT AND REAR PLIES AND THE INNER ENDS OF SAID TAB AND LOOP MEMBERS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND LINES OF STITCHING BEING DISPOSED INTERIORLY OF THE OUTER FACES OF THE COLLAR PLIES, THE THIRD LINES OF STITCHING BEING VISIBLE FROM THE OUTER FACE OF THE FRONT PLY. 